FILE: NBA announces pre-season plans with games to start on Dec 12

NBA released a condensed 49-game preseason schedule Friday,  with teams playing between two and four games starting on December 11. Preseason contests will continue through December 19. Teams begin training camps next week.

league plans to reveal first half of 72-game regular season schedule - that means games to be played between December 22 and March 4 - in coming days. Games for season’s second half, scheduled as between March 11 and May 16, will be revealed around midpoint of season.

defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers will play on first night of preseason, technically a home game against Los Angeles Clippers. Lakers play Clippers twice in preseason, n a home-and-home with Phoenix and new Suns guard Chris Paul as well.s